The renewal of the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities

COTER-VII/001
Adopted

The renewal of the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities

Juan ESPADAS CEJAS
Juan ESPADAS CEJAS
Member Spain
Mayor of Sevilla
 adrianreina@sevilla.org
 +34 955 470202
 ES
Commissions: COTER-VII , ENVE-VII , ENVE-VI
https://twitter.com/juanespadassvq
 Adoption: 14/10/2020
 Theme: Cohesion Policy , Economy and Finance
The renewed Leipzig Charter and the Urban Agenda for the EU implementation document will be adopted by the informal Council of Ministers on urban Mmatters in Leipzig on 30 November 2020. The renewed version will consider the impact of health pandemics on cities and towns and the subsequent potential increase in territorial disparities. The new text supports the principles of an integrated, place based and multilevel governance approach. All of these are common to Cohesion policy. In addition, the CoR supports the idea to act at all spatial levels: neighbourhood, local and regional and on functional or metropolitan areas. The renewed charter will ensure the same treatment for all the dimensions of cities in the future Leipzig Charter: productive city, just city and green city. On the other hand, and as suggested by the CoR opinion, it is also fundamental to acknowledge that the surrounding rural areas offer important benefits for cities in general. The new version of the Leipzig charter will expressly recognise the importance of promoting "digital cohesion" in Europe, both for its citizens and for its territories. The renewed Leipzig charter will recognise the validity of the three pillars (Better Regulation, Better Funding and Better Knowledge) of the Urban Agenda for the EU identified by the Pact of Amsterdam are still valid. The future Leipzig Charter will be more connected to the new European Commission policy missions, for example the new EU Green Deal. The European Committee of the Regions has been expressly mentioned in the implementation document on the Urban Agenda for the EU and the Council conclusions. The Committee is requested to provide input and support to the further development and implementation of the Urban Agenda for the EU, in line with the strategic principles set out in the renewed Leipzig Charter and to contribute to the works of the thematic partnerships under the framework of the Urban Agenda for the EU. The German Presidency followed the CoR recommendation to put forward Council conclusions on the Leipzig charter, the Urban Agenda for the EU and its link with the Territorial Agenda for the EU, which will be submitted tofor adoption by the Council of EU Ministers on Environment on 17 December 2020.
THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS - welcomes the idea of renewing the Leipzig Charter during the German EU presidency in the second half of 2020 and to develop a functional relationship between the New Leipzig Charter and the Urban Agenda for the EU, and the Territorial Agenda 2030; - considers that the renewed Leipzig Charter should be seen as a political opportunity, enabling cities to act as a benchmark for the practical implementation of various urban policies in all Member States; - agrees with the following operating principles for the renewed Leipzig Charter: integrated approach; place-based approach; and multi-level governance and participation and co-creation. They all relate to the principles guiding the EU's cohesion policy; - calls on the European Commission to show greater political commitment to the Urban Agenda for the EU and to incorporate it into its flagship initiatives, such as the Green Deal and digital initiatives; - calls on the European Commission to establish a much closer link between its future Better Regulation Agenda and the Urban Agenda for the EU, so that the recommendations issued by urban partnerships are taken into account; - recalls the necessity to adapt the European Semester to better reflect the challenges for cities. The specific issues of urban areas such as affordable housing, growing inequalities and long term investments must therefore be reflected at the level of coordination of economic policies across the European Union; - calls on the European Commission to develop a new common frame of reference with shared terminology, indicators and methodology, with a view to following up on investments and achievements by the numerous national, regional and local urban agendas; - believes that digital transformation should lead to better "digital cohesion" in Europe, both for its citizens and for its territories; - calls on the German Presidency of the EU to officially recognise the role of the Committee of the Regions in the renewed Leipzig Charter.
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